System and method for providing access to product related electronic catalog functionality

ABSTRACT

An aggregation of functionality related to a product within an electronic catalog hosted by a wholesaler web system is provided by presenting on a client computing device a webpage in which a single product is directly associated with a single access point. The single access point provides a means by which plural wholesaler web system functions related to the single product are made available to a consumer. A listing of the plural wholesaler web system functions related to the single product is displayed within the webpage in response to an activation of the single access point by the consumer. In response to a selection by the consumer from the displayed listing the wholesaler web system initiates a performance of the one of the plural wholesaler web system functions so selected.

BACKGROUND

Currently, e-commerce related websites, whether business to business(B2B) or business to consumer (B2C), provide many methods for a customerto navigate a website to access functionality. Such functionalityincludes, but is not limited to, category drill down searching,parametric searching, key word searching, cross reference searching,accessing sales and promotional fliers, viewing personal orderhistories, etc. While navigating a website, any number of options arealso made available for the customer to “act upon” a particular product.For example, the customer may want to add a product to a to-do list, adda product to a shopping cart, send an email to another person about aproduct, proceed to a Detail Page for a product, request an MSDS sheetfor a product, etc. However, current websites place this product relatedfunctionality in many different places on any given webpage or ondifferent webpages throughout a website. This non-uniform placement ofproduct related functionality thus yields an inconsistent customerexperience by, for example, making it difficult for the customer to findand utilize desired product related functionality on a given webpageand/or within a given website. As will be appreciated, lower usage ofthis valuable product related functionality results in lower sales for avendor/wholesaler as well as lower customer satisfaction.

SUMMARY

An aggregation of functionality related to a product within anelectronic catalog hosted by a wholesaler web system is provided bypresenting on a client computing device a webpage in which a singleproduct is directly associated with a single access point. The singleaccess point provides a means by which plural wholesaler web systemfunctions related to the single product are made available to aconsumer. A listing of the plural wholesaler web system functionsrelated to the single product is displayed within the webpage inresponse to an activation of the single access point by the consumer. Inresponse to a selection by the consumer from the displayed listing thewholesaler web system initiates a performance of the one of the pluralwholesaler web system functions so selected.

A better understanding of the objects, advantages, features, propertiesand relationships of the system and method described hereinafter will beobtained from the following detailed description and accompanyingdrawings which set forth illustrative embodiments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a better understanding of the system and method for providing accessto product related electronic catalog functionality describedhereinafter, reference may be had to preferred embodiments shown in thefollowing drawings in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram of an exemplary system in which theinventive concepts may be employed; and

FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary webpage that provides providing accessto aggregated product related functionality.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Turning to the drawings an exemplary system and method for providingaccess to product related electronic catalog functionality is nowdescribed. As illustrated in FIG. 1, an exemplary system in which thesubject inventive concepts may be employed includes a processing device20, illustrated in detail by way of example only as a computer system,that is provided with executable instructions to, for example, provide ameans for a customer to access a website, via a computer system/server68, and thereby browse webpages and goods/services offered for sale by awholesaler, retailer, vender, etc., (collectively “wholesaler”) andaccess electronic commerce related functionality. Generally, thecomputer executable instructions reside in program modules which mayinclude routines, programs, objects, components, data structures, etc.that perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract datatypes. Accordingly, those skilled in the art will appreciate that theprocessing device 20 may be embodied in any device having the ability toexecute instructions such as, by way of example, a personal computer,mainframe computer, personal-digital assistant (PDA), cellulartelephone, or the like. Furthermore, while described and illustrated inthe context of a single processing device 20, those skilled in the artwill also appreciate that the various tasks described hereinafter may bepracticed in a distributed environment having multiple processingdevices linked via a local or wide-area network whereby the executableinstructions may be associated with and/or executed by one or moremultiple processing devices.

For performing the various tasks in accordance with the executableinstructions, a processing device 20 may include a processing unit 22and a system memory 24 which may be linked via a bus 26. Withoutlimitation, the bus 26 may be a memory bus, a peripheral bus, and/or alocal bus using any of a variety of well known bus architectures. Asneeded for any particular purpose, the system memory 24 may include readonly memory (ROM) 28 and/or random access memory (RAM) 30. Additionalmemory devices may also be made accessible to the processing device 20by means of, for example, a hard disk drive interface 32, a magneticdisk drive interface 34, and/or an optical disk drive interface 36. Aswill be understood, these devices, which would be linked to the systembus 26, respectively allow for reading from and writing to a hard disk38, reading from or writing to a removable magnetic disk 40, and forreading from or writing to a removable optical disk 42, such as a CD/DVDROM or other optical media. The drive interfaces and their associatedcomputer-readable media allow for the nonvolatile storage of computerreadable instructions, data structures, program modules and other datafor the processing device 20. Those skilled in the art will furtherappreciate that other types of computer readable media that can storedata may be used for this same purpose. Examples of such media devicesinclude, but are not limited to, magnetic cassettes, flash memory cards,digital videodisks, Bernoulli cartridges, random access memories,nano-drives, memory sticks, and other read/write and/or read-onlymemories.

A number of program modules, i.e., computer executable instructions, maybe stored in one or more of the memory/media devices of the processingdevice 20. For example, a basic input/output system (BIOS) 44,containing the basic routines that help to transfer information betweenelements within the processing device 20, such as during start-up, maybe stored in ROM 28. Similarly, the RAM 30, hard drive 38, and/orperipheral memory devices may be used to store computer executableinstructions comprising an operating system 46, one or more applicationsprograms 48 (such as a Web browser), other program modules 50, and/orprogram data 52. Still further, computer-executable instructions may bedownloaded to the processing device 20 as needed, for example, via anetwork connection.

The customer may enter commands and information into the processingdevice 20 through input devices such as a keyboard 54 and/or a pointingdevice 56. While not illustrated, other input devices may include amicrophone, a joystick, a game pad, a scanner, etc. These and otherinput/output devices would typically be connected to the processing unit22 by means of an interface 58 which, in turn, would be coupled to thebus 26. Input devices may be connected to the processor 22 usinginterfaces such as, for example, a parallel port, game port, firewire,or a universal serial bus (USB). To view information from the processingdevice 20, a monitor 60 or other type of display device may also beconnected to the bus 26 via an interface, such as a video adapter 62. Inaddition to the monitor 60, the processing device 20 may also includeother peripheral output devices, not shown, such as speakers andprinters.

As further illustrated in FIG. 1, the processing device 20 may alsoutilize logical connections to one or more remote processing devices,such as the wholesaler system/server 68. The remote processing devicesmay have an associated data repository in which is stored data such ascustomer/company information, electronic catalog pages, etc. While theremote processing device 68 has been illustrated in the exemplary formof a server computer supporting conventional e-commerce typefunctionality, e.g., category drill down searching, parametricsearching, key word searching, cross reference searching, accessingsales and promotional fliers, product ordering, viewing personal orderhistories, etc, it will be appreciated that the remote processingdevices 68 may be any type of device having processing capabilities. Assuch, it will again be appreciated that the remote processing device 68need not be implemented as a single device but may be implemented in amanner such that the tasks performed by the remote processing device 68are distributed to a plurality of processing devices linked through acommunication network

For performing tasks as needed, the remote processing device 68 mayinclude many or all of the elements described above relative to theprocessing device 20. Communications between the processing device 20and the remote processing device 68 may be exchanged via a furtherprocessing device, such a network router, that is responsible fornetwork routing. Communications with the network router may be performedvia a network interface component 73. Thus, within such a networkedenvironment 12, e.g., the Internet, World Wide Web, LAN, or other liketype of wired or wireless network, it will be appreciated that programmodules depicted relative to the processing device 20, or portionsthereof, may be stored in the memory storage device(s) of one or moreprocessing devices in communication therewith.

As noted above, a customer generally interacts with wholesalersystem/server 68 to browse an electronic catalog of goods offered forsale by the wholesaler, to order/purchase goods of interest, to requestdelivery of such goods, etc. To facilitate these processes, thewholesaler system/server 68 provides access to product relatedelectronic catalog functionality that is aggregated and madeconveniently accessible on a webpage. More particularly, as illustratedin the exemplary webpage of FIG. 2, the wholesaler system/server 68provides in direct association with a product navigated to by a customer202 or otherwise presented to a customer for purchase 204, an accesspoint 206, presented in the form of a clickable icon, link, dropdownselection box, pop-up box, or the like, by which the customer maynavigate to or other access product related functionality for thesingle, particular product so associated with the access point 206. Inthis manner, each access point 206 provides access to aggregated productrelated functionality by which, for example, the customer may: cause adisplay of a Product Details page for its associated product; cause adisplay of a Catalog Page (for example a PDF catalog page) on which itsassociated product resides; cause an email or similar message to be sentto a recipient about its associated product; cause its associatedproduct to be added to a to-do list; cause its associated product to beadded to a schedule for repeat purchase; cause an MSDS sheet, ifavailable, for its associated product to be displayed; cause a displayof recommendations related to its associated product; cause a display ofrequired and optional accessories for its associated product; cause adisplay of its associated product's real-time availability; cause adisplay of a list of locations at which its associated product isavailable; cause a display of an indicator as to whether its associatedproduct has been previously purchased by the customer; cause display ofrepair information for its associated product; cause a display of lotquantity price discounts for its associated product; display of anindicator, e.g., a checkmark, if a particular product relatedfunctionality is available to be initiated by the wholesaler web system,etc.

The access point 206 may be directly associated with a single,particular product presented within a webpage by placing the accesspoint 206 (e.g., an activatable icon or like interface convention) nearor next to its associated product. The access point 206 may then beactivated to present product related functionality by being clickedupon, moused over. In a preferred embodiment, the access point 206 isplaced in the near vicinity of an ordering number, e.g., “4M100” or“4M096” as illustrated in FIG. 2, to indicate the direct associationbetween an access point 206 and the product that corresponds to thatordering number, i.e., each single access point 206 is directlyassociated with a single, corresponding product. Still further, anaccess point 206 offering access to aggregated product relatedfunctionality pertaining to a single, particular, associated product maybe placed adjacent to each ordering number on every webpage within awebsite. Thus, an access point 206 for a particular product may appearmultiple times throughout the website depending upon where its relatedordering number might appear, such as for example, on webpages having:an online flier; an online promotion; a personal order history; aninvoice history; a Product Details page (as particularly seen in FIG.2); a search result; a Shopping Cart, Order Form or like purchasingpage/area; a product recommendations page or area; a Cross Referencelist; a product description page; a Catalog Page (in any format, e.g.,PDF, HTML, etc.); a selection guide; etc. It will be understood that theproduct related functionality that may be made available for accessingby the consumer need not be the same for each product, e.g., one productmight not have repair parts and, as such, the repair part availabilityfunctionality would not be applicable for that product. Furthermore, itwill be appreciated that, when a user selects a product related functionvia an access point (in the event that such functionality is availablefor the corresponding product) the wholesaler web system may initiate aperformance of the selected functionality by providing the selectedfunctionality and related information, if any, in a pop-up window orother area of a webpage currently being viewed, by redirecting thebrowser of the client machine to a further webpage that is directlysupported by the wholesaler system, by redirecting the browser of theclient machine to a webpage that is supported by a third party system,and/or the like.

While specific embodiments of the invention have been described indetail, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that variousmodifications and alternatives to those details could be developed inlight of the overall teachings of the disclosure. For example, ratherthan provide a separate, distinct access point icon for each product,the access point may be integrated into a picture of the product shownin connection with its ordering number whereupon a mouse over thepicture or click upon the picture invokes a listing of the availableproduct related functionality for that product. Accordingly, theparticular arrangement disclosed is meant to be illustrative only andnot limiting as to the scope of the invention which is to be given thefull breadth of the appended claims and any equivalents thereof.

1. A method for providing access to an aggregation of functionalityrelated to a product within an electronic catalog hosted by a wholesalerweb system; comprising: presenting on a client computing device awebpage in which a single product is directly associated with a singleaccess point, the single access point providing a consumer with accessto plural wholesaler web system functions determined to be applicable tothe single product; and causing a listing of the plural wholesaler websystem functions determined to be applicable to the single product to bedisplayed within the webpage in response to an activation of the singleaccess point by the consumer; whereupon, in response to a selection bythe consumer from the displayed listing of a one of the pluralwholesaler web system functions determined to be applicable to thesingle product the wholesaler web system initiates a performance of theone of the plural wholesaler web system functions so selected.
 2. Themethod as recited in claim 1, wherein the single access point isactivated in response to a mouse clicking action.
 3. The method asrecited in claim 1, wherein the single access point is activated inresponse to a cursor being moved over the single access point.
 4. Themethod as recited in claim 1, wherein the single access point comprisesan image of the single product.
 5. The method as recited in claim 1,wherein the single access point is directly associated with the singleproduct by being positioned in the vicinity of information concerningthe single product presented within the webpage.
 6. The method asrecited in claim 5, wherein the information concerning the singleproduct presented within the webpage comprises an ordering numberassociated with the single product.
 7. The method as recited in claim 6,wherein the access point comprises an icon activatable to invoke a menupositioned adjacent to the ordering number presented within the webpage,the menu comprising the listing of the plural wholesaler web systemfunctions determined to be applicable to the single product.
 8. Themethod as recited in claim 7, wherein the wholesaler web system causesmultiple webpages to be presented on the client computing device andwhen any of the multiple webpages includes the single product the singleproduct appearing within each such webpage is directly associated withthe single access point to thereby provide the consumer with access fromeach such webpage to the plural wholesaler web system functionsdetermined to be applicable to the single product.
 9. The method asrecited in claim 8, wherein the plural wholesaler web system functionsare used to initiate performance by the wholesaler web system of atleast two of: displaying of a Product Details page for the singleproduct; displaying of a catalog page from a catalog on which the singleproduct resides; transmitting a message to a recipient containinginformation for the single product; adding the single product to a to-dolist; adding the single product to a schedule for repeat purchase;displaying an MSDS sheet for the single product; displaying arecommendation related to the single product; displaying accessories forthe single product; displaying real-time availability for the singleproduct; displaying a list of locations at which the single product isavailable; displaying an indicator as to whether the single product hasbeen previously purchased by the customer; displaying repair informationfor the single product; and displaying of lot quantity price discountsfor the single product.
 10. The method as recited in claim 9, comprisingdisplaying within a listing of plural wholesaler web system functions anindicator of availability of each of the plural wholesaler web systemfunctions determined to be applicable to the single product.
 11. Themethod as recited in claim 1, wherein the plural wholesaler web systemfunctions are used to initiate performance by the wholesaler web systemof at least two of: displaying of a Product Details page for the singleproduct; displaying of a catalog page from a catalog on which the singleproduct resides; transmitting a message to a recipient containinginformation for the single product; adding the single product to a to-dolist; adding the single product to a schedule for repeat purchase;displaying an MSDS sheet for the single product; displaying arecommendation related to the single product; displaying accessories forthe single product; displaying real-time availability for the singleproduct; displaying a list of locations at which the single product isavailable; displaying an indicator as to whether the single product hasbeen previously purchased by the customer; displaying repair informationfor the single product; and displaying of lot quantity price discountsfor the single product.
 12. The method as recited in claim 11,comprising displaying within a listing of plural wholesaler web systemfunctions an indicator of availability of each of the plural wholesalerweb system functions determined to be applicable to the single product.13. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the wholesaler web systeminitiates a performance of the one of the plural wholesaler web systemfunctions by providing the consumer with access to the selected one ofthe plural wholesaler web system functions in a pop-up window displayedon the client machine.
 14. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein thewholesaler web system initiates a performance of the one of the pluralwholesaler web system functions by providing the consumer with access tothe selected one of the plural wholesaler web system functions in anarea of a web page currently being viewed on the client machine.
 15. Themethod as recited in claim 1, wherein the wholesaler web systeminitiates a performance of the one of the plural wholesaler web systemfunctions by redirecting a browser of the client machine to a furtherweb page by which the consumer is provided with access to the selectedone of the plural wholesaler web system functions.
 16. The method asrecited in claim 15, wherein the further web page is located within thewholesaler web system.
 17. The method as recited in claim 15, whereinthe further web page is located within a web system of a third party.